Solopreneur Struggles

It took some time for me to get used to the idea that I was a solopreneur. At first, I would constantly feel like my work was never complete, and to be honest I felt uncomfortable asking for help. If something went wrong, the consequences would fall directly on me — and that idea was daunting. But, I knew I had to be persistent with my goals, and I was willing to take risks for the outcome I envisioned.

I learned early on that in order to succeed, I had to fail multiple times beforehand. That was the hardest part because it’s so easy to be discouraged and want to give up. But there was a voice in the back of my mind that told me to keep going, and I listened to it through all the hardships I endured. I look back at many moments where I felt like I should’ve just quit and moved on with something else, but intuition really played an important role in overcoming my struggles. In the back of my mind, this was my dream and only I could find the courage within to keep working at it. That’s where the whole idea of being a “solopreneur” really struck me.

There’s an old proverb that reads: “if at first you don’t succeed, try try, try again” which kept popping into my head when something didn’t go the way I planned. The key phrase being the repetitive “try”. In the early stages of HonestlyKate, I really thought it would be much easier than it was to grow my audience authentically, but I hit a lot of roadblocks. I would spend over 16 hours each day trying to come up with fun, innovative ways I could stand out and reach my niche. At a certain point, I remember being in the shower and not being able to turn off all the ideas that were running through my brain. Finding a strong balance between work and being able to turn off and unwind was key for ultimately growing my business as well as a sustainable career.

It’s funny because you always hear people say never to give up on your dreams, and always follow your heart. But when you’re in the thick of things it’s really hard, that’s something they don’t tell you. You’ll have days when you’ll feel so burnt out that you can’t even foresee the near future because you’re so caught up in the weeds. But those struggles, those low moments, are what give you grit. They are what will make you strong and capable to go all the way.

And here’s the important part: you can really only learn from your struggles alone, once you’ve internalized and processed them. Though you’ll be lifted by those around you that support and care for you and want to see you succeed, only you alone will have the willpower to push through if you’re fighting for something you truly want to pursue. A solopreneur is able to reach the depths of their struggle and come back with tenacity. It’s the struggle that teaches you to fight, without it you won’t go far.

And I want to be clear on something — although I call myself a solopreneur, I couldn’t have reached where I am now without the help of so many people. I believe in following your dreams, and I also believe in asking for help and advice in order for those dreams to turn into realities. Here’s to all of you curating your own futures! May you always rise from the struggle and push onward.